NEVER FOR EVER

From the moment we see the fantasy cover and the elaborate artwork within the gatefold we know that Kate is going for another stratosphere with this release. It is obvious she had more time here than on the previous album. The cover shows a cornucopia of fantasy creatures shooting out from under her cloud dress as if she is giving birth to her own world which she does musically on Never For Ever.

We start with a nice single in Babooshka telling the story of a cheating husband and a wife's ploy to catch him. But it is the second track Delius (Song of Summer) where Kate ups the ante and moves to new levels of expression. Musically and lyrically, Delius and the following Blow Away (For Bill) and All We Ever Look For are so out of this world. Layers of bass and piano compliment the delicate vocals and the mood is really something I can't articulate. Just.special, like a mini-suite. These are tracks which have great personal memories for me, they were a soundtrack for a time when I was falling in love.

Egypt follows and is a solid track with bizarre instrumental drama leading to some cosmic Kate yelping. Violin is classic Kate rocking and pushing the theatrical limits (so far) of her vocal weirdness. The band is rock solid backing her here and we get a nice guitar solo by Alan Murphy. The Infant Kiss is a return to the simple beauty of earlier work but with some nice strings. Night Scented Stock is wordless vocal piece leading into another standout track, Army Dreamers, a commentary on war which would be one of Kate's memorable videos. The closing track is Breathing and this is one of Bush's most dramatic works. Absolutely gorgeous and full of dread all at once with stunning arrangements and a bombastic finish.

Kate was now an established artist of mindbending quality and she still had more tricks up her sleeve. This is her album for the romantics in the crowd, you know who you are! At the same time, the album has not held up as well as her first two gems, or her next one, thus the slightly lower rating.

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